Improvement in car-couplings



JOHN'B. SHELLY,

Improvement in Car Couplings.

Patented April 16, 1872.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN B. SHELLY, OF RIGHLAND TOWNSHIP, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAR-COUPLINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 125,698, dated April 16, 1872.

for coupling onto a corresponding hook or link of .an adjacent car while the other remains passive for the time being, and combining therewith a pin, which is passed through an eye in the hook when extended, so as to fix it rigidly to the buffer, but which, to support the link when thus extended, is simply passed through pin-holes in the bufl'er beneath the link, allowing the latter to rise over the barb of the hook on an approaching car and couple onto it automatically.

Using this pin in connection with the hook and link in the manner set forth enables me to construct the bufier of the very simplest form; but the principal advantage growing out of its use is that it makes this class of carcouplings automatic in their action.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the adjacent ends of two cars provided with my improved coupling. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a plan view thereof.

The same letters of reference are employed in all the figures in the designation of identical parts.

The buffer-heads consist of two bars, A and the hook to pass though the opening in the link when the latter is extended horizontally to couple onto the hook of an adjacent car. The barb B of the hook is turned back from the point so as to permit an approaching link on striking it to automatically rise over and fall behind it, to facilitate which action the forward end of the link is beveled, as shown. The hook is also constructed with a guard, B which may consist of a spring, projecting beyond the barb of the hook, for the purpose of preventing accidental disengagement of the hook and link. An aperture is formed through the shank of the hook, through which to pass a pin, D, when the hook is to be held in an extended or horizontal position. The pin D is passed through holes in the bars A and A of the bufl'er, and for the purpose of enabling the hook to be held atdifierent elevations a series of such pin-holes may be provided in the buffer. This same pin D is used to support the link in its extended position, being at such time inserted in pin-holes a beneath the link. In either position of the pin D it is prevented from leaving the pinholes accidentally by the dog E, which is pivoted upon a stud, e, on the outside of the bar A of the buffer, and when turned down, as shown in Fig. 2, extends be- Witnesses present:

DAVID N. SHELLY, J. L. HEAGOOK. 

